POOLE, DORSET, ENGLAND -- Ken Dickie, a customer support engineer at Blakell Europlacer for more than 15 years, has passed away following a tragic assault near his home here. 

He was 64.

Dickie spent more than three decades in the SMT industry, the last 16 at Europlacer. Prior to that, he was a service engineer at Dynapert and Casio. Originally from South Africa, he moved to Europe 30 years ago. 

“He was without doubt an industry fixture,” says Europlacer colleague Rod Evans. “There was not a machine or customer that Ken hadn’t supported across the UK, plus hundreds more worldwide. We have lost a true gem and the ‘Crazy South African’ is sorely missed.”

Dickie was physically assaulted during a May 8 incident near his home in Dorset, during which he suffered a head injury. Hospitalized, he died a few days later, just one year away from retirement.

Two people have been arrested in connection with the attack. 

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